


I'd Like To Make You Mine

by goddess_julie



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Office, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M, Mitch Marner Is A Saint, Mutual Pining, Romance, Schmoop, Soft Hockey Boys, TikTok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:27:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24843016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goddess_julie/pseuds/goddess_julie
Summary: “Why are you even doing the challenges?”  Mitch asks once he’s keyed in their order for diner to be delivered.  He looks up at Freddie who shrugs and sinks lower into the couch cushions.“Matts likes them.  You guys have fun with them and it’s …whatever.”  He glares at the smile that elicits from Mitch.  “What?”“Matts likes them so you do them,” he mimics Freddie’s monotone voice. “What’s wrong with you two?  Why aren’t you guys together?”Freddie feels his stomach drop and his chest get tight.  He’s done everything he can to keep his feelings for Auston hidden deep in a compartment that will never see the light of day, but Mitch is looking at him like he’s broadcasting it like a beacon.“What?”“Well, I definitely thought that once he and I broke up, you’d make your move.  Then you didn’t.”“We’re friends.”“I know, and you’re in love with him.  Fuck, he’s in love with you.  I just don’t know how neither of you have done anything about it.”~*~*~*~*~Freddie is in love with Auston.  He works through his feelings through a series of Tik Tok challenges and eventually gets his man.
Relationships: Frederik Andersen/Auston Matthews, Jamie Benn/Tyler Seguin, Kyle Dubas/William Nylander, Leon Draisaitl/Connor McDavid, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Mitch Marner/Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner/Dylan Strome, Past relationship - Relationship
Kudos: 50





	I'd Like To Make You Mine

**Author's Note:**

> This went from what was supposed to be a short ficlet with Freddie doing the "kiss your best friend" challenge, to lets fit almost every kind of challenge I can think of into one fic, bring a bunch of different teams and players into it and make it a whole thing.
> 
> I make no money from this. I don't make any assumptions about anyone written herein. I just watch an endless supply of Tik Tok compilations on youtube and think 'huh... I can see these soft boys doing that'.
> 
> Edited by myself, any mistakes are my own. Kudos and feedback is love.
> 
> See the end for more notes and links.

Freddie has been friends with Auston since the moment they met. It was Auston’s first day at work, Freddie had just finished booting up his computer in his team’s section of the office, his coffee still steaming and his head full of the day’s worth of accounts he needed to work on. They were a medium sized corporation, specializing in digital marketing and advertising and when Freddie had been reassigned to the Toronto office after working in the Anaheim branch for a few years, he had been skeptical. Did he want to trade in beaches and eternal summer for Canada? With Canada came humid, oppressive summers followed by cold, snowy winters. 

That had been seven months ago and while it had taken Freddie a bit of time to acclimatize himself to the new office, new environment and mostly new weather, he’d settled into a pretty good routine and was starting to feel like the move had been exactly what he needed and Canada was where he was meant to be. It wasn’t until the President of Maple Leaf Graphics and Design approached his desk with this new kid that Freddie’s life would change completely. There was his boss leading this guy, a kid who by the looks of it was warring internally as to whether he should look cool and confident or scared as hell towards him with a look of purpose on his face. Kyle Dubas stepped in front of Freddie’s desk, he was closest to the far wall and outwardly facing the rest of the bullpen of desks, and offered him a warm, friendly smile.

“Frederik,” Kyle nodded politely. “How are you this morning?”

Freddie offered a smile of his own and a head tilt to his computer. “Pretty good Kyle, I have some mock ups to finish for the Bauer campaign to run by Tavares and Mo said he’d speak to Hymes about the story boards for the Bio-Steel account.”

“Great, great stuff.” Kyle turned to motion the kid behind him to step in and approach the desk. When he did, Kyle gave Freddie another patient smile. “This is Auston. Auston Matthews, originally out of Scottsdale Arizona but has been studying overseas for a few years. We’ve got a new crop of kids starting today and they’re all going to spend a bit of time in each department before we fully assign them to special teams.” Kyle turned to Auston who had been watching Freddie in silent awe. “Auston, this is Frederik Andersen.”

“Freddie,” Freddie said softly as he stood to shake the new kid’s hand.

“Freddie heads up graphics. I’ve sent Mitchell to Zachary in creative and William is with Morgan in client services. You’ll all meet everyone at the team meeting at 11am and we’ll go over specifics at that time on what the next few weeks are going to look like. Frederik, I will leave Auston with you to show him around and give him the lay of the land. Welcome to Maple Leaf Enterprises, Auston.”

By the end of the first week, Freddie and Auston had become close friends. The whole team, honestly, were a tight knit group of guys, working hard during the day to meet deadlines and secure elite clientele, but Freddie thoroughly enjoyed Auston’s laid back nature, dry humour and focused work ethic.

The rookies all stuck together for lunch and happy hour drinks, forming a bond with being new kids in an established team and trying to find their place to make their mark. Freddie had enjoyed his weeks with Mitch, the kid a ball of radiant energy and unfailing optimism and William, who was as handsome as he was sharp, able to read a client’s needs, even if just by notes made during an initial consultation, but if he was honest with himself and Kyle, he’d hoped that Auston would be assigned to graphics when their probationary period was done.

Two months later, much to Freddie’s delight, Auston had been paired with Freddie and they’d not looked back. None of the team had realized how these three rookies would bring them all together to be an even more cohesive team than they already were. Happy hour drinks lead to planned outings on weekends. That lead to group vacations, both with and without significant others. Willy had mentioned one day that he missed playing hockey regularly, to which they all were shocked to find out that at some point in their lives, everyone in the office had played hockey. This led to them starting a rec league team and solidifying their total codependence on each other.

Through all of it, while they were all friends, Freddie couldn’t deny that he became closer to Auston than anyone else. There was something about the younger man, and Freddie understood that their 8-year age different wasn’t a lot in the grand scheme of things, but sometimes felt massive as they hung out and he watched Auston with others. Freddie has an even keel of a personality, he can relax and be chill, but more often was the voice of reason. He related most with Morgan, John and Zach, which was why they were team leads in their prospective special teams. They were there to lead the younger guys, impart their knowledge and grow their skills to branch out and grow the office. 

Auston, on the other hand, was mature for his younger age, but was also a cocky dude-bro who always had guys and girls after him when they went out. Freddie knew that deep down, Auston was a dork, but in that cool way that he didn’t have to work at it and just accepted himself as who he was. That confidence was what drew people to him, no matter where they were or what they were doing. Freddie was often quiet in Auston’s shadow and preferred it that way because he got the pieces of Auston that no one else did, he was there to witness every side of his best friend and be right at his side when Auston needed him.

It’s been four years since the day that Kyle brought Auston to Freddie’s desk and changed his life. And while Freddie will admit to himself, and only himself thank you very much, that he’s always been attracted to Auston, he’s never gone any further than that admission. He knows Auston is bisexual. He’s dated both girls and guys, never once ashamed of who he is and who he loves. Freddie is also aware that Auston has no issues with dating a co-worker since his most recent ex-boyfriend, is in fact still very good friends with both of them. Freddie hadn’t been shocked when Auston and Mitch started dating. They have both always been very tactile people and it seemed as though their casual flirting and touching moved so smoothly into them dating that no one realized the difference until they were practically celebrating their second month anniversary. Mitch and Auston had dated for about a year and a half, none of which affected the team, their work or friendships outside of the relationship. In fact, even their break up had been amicable to the point where it was a non issue.

Auston and Mitch agreed that they were better off as friends, Auston was back in the dating pool and Mitch had soon after started dating a friend of his from the Chicago office that he’d met at a conference a few months back and had hit it off with. Freddie has never really been able to remain friends with his exes, but he knows that Auston is much more laid back about these things than he is and it is just one more reason that Freddie thinks he’s in love with him.

Oh yeah, and Freddie may be lying to himself in saying he’s attracted to Auston. He’s not just attracted to him. He’s fully, wholly, unequivocally in love with Auston Matthews and because he’s a master at controlling his own emotions so he hasn’t let it get in the way of their friendship. If Freddie is good at anything, it’s compartmentalizing his feelings. And he refuses to let the fact that in the past few years he’s fallen in love with his best friend ruin his relationship with his best friend. Or their friends. So, there’s that.

~*~*

**_ Toosie Slide Challenge _ **

Freddie looks up from the book that he’s reading to see Auston and Mitch curled up on the couch, ignoring the TV in front of them for whatever they’re watching on Auston’s phone. He raises an eyebrow when Mitch looks up and rolls his eyes at him. “What are you watching?”

“Willy’s tik tok,” Mitch smirks as Freddie rolls his eyes.

Tik tok. It’s not that he doesn’t know what the social media platform is, he’s a graphic designer, spends his life online creating ad content and app support for their clients. It’s more the fact that he doesn’t GET tik tok. Or so, he gets what its purpose is, just more so what the allure of it is. This is one of the ways that his age difference with these two children who are cackling on the couch at whatever Willy has done this time, is apparent. They live for social media, videos and posts and everything that goes along with the culture. Freddie is amused by it but doesn’t really play into it.

He has a Facebook, twitter, Instagram, tik tok and all of those social media accounts. He even has a twitch account for when they go live gaming and posts, although he admits that he also doesn’t understand the excitement of going online to watch someone else play video games. He participates, mostly with Mitch and Auston and is mocked endlessly by the rest of the guys at the office, but he’s never as eager to participate as they are.

“God, they just look so douchey,” Auston cackles as he throws his head back and laughs. 

Freddie absolutely does not watch the column of his throat as he laughs, his Adam’s apple bobbing deliciously, teasing him. He doesn’t peek at the strip of skin that is revealed as Auston’s shirt rides up just enough to create a gap between the hem and his shorts.

“Who’s he with?” Freddie says, ignoring the way his voice is low and throaty.

“Check Willy’s tik tok for yourself,” Mitch teases.

Freddie flips him off and grabs his phone. He opens the app to see that Willy has posted a video of himself and his brother Alex on a beach somewhere. He’s in low slung shorts, a buttoned shirt open and parted obscenely, his hair in a top man bun and that facial hair that would look ridiculous on anyone else but makes Willy just look filthy enough to want him to fuck you up against a wall. 

_“I could dance like Michael Jackson,  
I could give you satisfaction  
And you know we out here every day with it  
I’ma show you how to get it  
It go right foot up, left foot slide  
Left foot up, right foot slide  
Basically I’m saying, either way we about to slide”_

“What the actual fuck?” Freddie looks up to see Auston and Mitch with their heads together.

“It’s the Toosie Slide challenge,” Auston says with a laugh. “Drake. Willy and Alex did it and now we’re going to have to do it…”

“But like, better.” Mitch agrees.

“Because?” Freddie asks with a smirk. He knows that they’re going to have to one up Willy, but he also loves riling Auston and Mitch up when he pretends he doesn’t follow. Just as he expects, he sees Auston huff and roll his eyes.

“Because Frederik…” Auston growls. “It’s the culture. Like, vine culture but not because vine culture died.”

“Too soon,” Mitch says solemnly. Freddie is horrified as he watches them both bow their heads and make the sign of the cross before high fiving and looking back up at Freddie expectantly.

“Ummm, was I supposed to genuflect or something?”

Both younger men shake their head sadly at him and exchange a pitying look.

“It’s okay Fred, just go log onto your Myspace and let us know when you’re ready for 2020.”

Which is how Freddie finds himself out at the park by his condo with Auston and Mitch. Auston’s in his Diamondbacks jersey while Mitch has pulled on his Jays jersey. They’ve coordinated their outfits to represent their home cities. Austin is in ripped skinny jeans, Mitch in ripped jorts. Freddie thinks they both look ridiculous, but by the looks of other patrons of the park, he’s the only one.

They give themselves about ten minutes to practice, mainly because the first four times they tried to film, one or both of them would go right when it said left and left when it said right. At one point, Mitch overbalanced and tipped over which caused Auston to laugh so hard he fell as well.

Freddie told them he’d stopped filming, but he hadn’t. This is classic gag reel type shit and he’s going to hold onto it for as long as he needs to.

They finally get it right though and by the time they do, they’ve amassed a pretty impressive crowd of onlookers.

Mitch’s face lights up and he turns to everyone. “Hey, do you wanna do one with us? Like, flash toosie slide challenge?” 

Which is how Freddie finds himself in the front of the crowd with Mitch and Auston, a group of about twenty-five people behind them ranging in age from toddlers to seniors all doing the Toosie Slide. Once they’re done, Mitch airdrops the video to everyone who wants one. Freddie is relieved that they’ve forgotten he didn’t do one on his own and can use Mitch and Auston’s group video to post to his.

It doesn’t take long for them to edit and post their videos, tagging all of their friends in the challenge and cross posting to all of their social medias. Freddie doesn’t even pretend that he doesn’t watch Auston, mesmerized by the smile on his face and the loose, carefree way he moves his body to the music.

They’re on their way back to Freddie’s condo when Auston slides up to walk beside him. Mitch has hung back because he’s on the phone with Dylan, his boyfriend, telling him to check his socials later to see their epic video.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice you didn’t do one by yourself,” Auston says as she gently bumps Freddie’s shoulder with his own.

Freddie can’t stop the blush that results. “Oh, I must have forgotten.”

“Liar,” Auston teases. “Don’t know why you’re so shy,” he adds. “Your videos are always so great. Always look so good on camera.”

He stares right into his best friend’s eyes and rolls his eyes. “Can’t compete with how pretty you and Mitchy are,” Freddie finally says.

“You’re right,” Auston is blushing as he responds. “You’re much prettier.”

They both break into laughter and Freddie punches Auston’s shoulder roughly. “Fuck you, I’m not pretty. I’m too manly to be pretty.”

“You’re right,” Auston says with a laugh. “You’re gorgeous. Handsome… whatever else dudes are when they’re pretty.”

“Guys,” Mitch says as he’s stopped in his tracks in the middle of the sidewalk. “Who’s pretty?”

“Frederik,” Auston laughs as he jogs back to where Mitch is still not moving. 

Mitch looks up and gives Freddie a once over. “Duh, dude’s a fucking masterpiece,” he says without taking a breath. Freddie blushes and Mitch nods. “Dude, you are. Fucking hot ass motherfucker. But also hot? Look at the video that Segs and Bennie posted.”

They all watch as Mitch clicks the link that his boyfriend Dylan had forwarded them. There is a barn in the background, and it looks like they’re on a farm. There are a few dogs walking around in the grass and two dudes standing in front of the camera. Both are wearing cowboy hats and cowboy boots. That is where the similarities end. Both men have their heads down and when the music to Toosie Slide starts, they both raise their heads to smirk at the camera. The man on the left is Tyler Seguin, with his cowboy boots and cowboy hat, he’s only wearing a pair of white cotton briefs, nothing else. He’s got a piece of straw in his mouth and a giant grin on his face, his tattoos brilliant on his perfectly tanned skin. Next to him, Jamie Benn is in his cowboy boots and cowboy hat but he’s got a plaid shirt tucked into tight jeans and he’s wearing leather chaps.

“Well fuck,” Freddie says with a laugh. He’s not shocked that Tyler chose to go practically naked and Jamie didn’t. It fits their personalities perfectly and can appreciate that even clothed, Jamie is as sexy in his cowboy outfit as Tyler is unclothed. “Damn Northstar Graphics, always have to be bigger and better in fucking Dallas.”

“Dude,” Mitch slaps Auston’s chest affectionately. “Shoulda been you, we should have put you in a pair of boxers and nothing else. You’re much hotter than Segs.”

Freddie watches as Auston goes bright red and laughs off the compliment. “In what universe?” He knows that Auston doesn’t have body issues, he knows he looks good and uses it to his advantage when he can. Freddie rolls his eyes.

“Uhhh, in any universe? You’re thicc dude, he’s hot but he’s scrawny. You’ve got skin for miles, a body to hold onto. You’re way hotter than Segs.”

Auston looks at him questioningly and Freddie fights not to react. He watches as Auston turns to Mitch who is nodding. “Fred’s right, Matty. Like, those abs look like they’d be a dream to come on, just paint him up and I’m sure that Bennie is riding that ass all night. But dude, I’d fuck you fifty times over before him.”

“Oh my god,” Auston says as he covers his face with his hands in embarrassment. “You’re both so fucking gross. Lets’ just get back to Freddie’s so I can murder you both at Chel.”

Freddie can tell though, as they continue walking and talk about the Toosie Slide challenge and who still needs to get in on it, that Auston is pleased. His face hasn’t broken from his wide grin, and he’s cuddly with both Mitch and Freddie when they get back to his condo.

In the end of the challenge among their wide group of friends, there are a number of opinions on who has won the Toosie Slide challenge.

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl from the Edmonton office have declared themselves the winners by sheer difficulty points since they’d done it in skates on the ice. It was unanimous that Gabe in the Colorado office won for pure cuteness as he had done his challenge with his eight-month-old daughter who couldn’t stop laughing the entire time and looked like she was having the best time in her entire life. Mitch and Auston won for crowd participation since they’d not only done the challenge on their own, but convinced an entire park full of people to join.

The classiest challenge is awarded to the Pittsburgh office where Team Captain Sidney had convinced everyone, including upper management to dress up in tuxedos for their entry. They all wore black, crisp tuxes with gold bow ties and cummerbunds and proceeded to film individual videos as well as special teams’ videos.

In the end, they all agree that they need to have an unbiased vote. Everyone is obviously going to vote for their own office or co-workers, so they agree to have the overall challenge winner decided by votes online. Everyone has posted links to their videos and a link to go to a page designed as impartial. All of the offices and their groups of friends are invited to submit their video and then the public online in the Tik Tok and social media communities can go in and vote. 

The results are closer than anyone anticipated. Freddie has to laugh at how cranky his friends are and how the mood of the office is sour, because of a 15 second video. A 15 second social media video online.

“This is bullshit,” Willy whines as he throws a folder onto Auston’s desk and crosses his arms over his chest.

“Fuck you,” Auston says defensively. “Riko and I worked hard on the graphics for that. And Zach didn’t sleep for like four days getting the story boards perfect. He did such a good job we told him he should steal it and use it for his next book!” 

Willy looks up to see Auston holding the folder in his hand, shaking it angrily at Willy. His face drops and he holds his hands up in apology. “Dude, not the ads. The ads are fucking lit. Like, I spoke to Grayson at Gatorade and they’re in. Like, full on giving us creative licensing. We’ve got print, social media, online approval. Pittsburgh has TV ads locked down, fucking Crosby, but we’ve got pretty much everything else.”

Freddie watches as Auston’s face turns to confusion. “Okay, what’s bullshit then?” Auston settles back into his chair and tosses a power bar to Freddie before he can even ask. It’s like the younger man just knew he was just about to complain about being hungry. As their eyes meet, Freddie sees Auston wink at him and they both grin.

“Fucking Tik Tok challenge. I can’t believe that Segs and Bennie won.”

“Was the shorts,” Freddie says with his mouth full. “Total thirst trap.”

“Duh,” Willy says with a sneer. He holds his arms out and points to himself. “But what about this? Those shorts were hanging low enough, my chest is fucking fire.”

“Socks and slides,” Zach adds as he walks by them to head to the supply cupboard. When he comes back, they’re all looking at him. With a sigh he rolls his eyes. “Willy, you had socks and slides on. At the beach.”

“And? Was I supposed to wear fucking running shoes like Alex? What does that have to do with anything”

“Tyler Seguin was on a farm in Texas, he completed the look with cowboy boots. Those boots made him look like an undressed version of Jamie Benn. You would have won if you’d have been in bare feet. Bare feet on the beach, sand in your toes, shirt open, shorts hanging low…”

Zach stops as he sees the way all three men’s eyes widen and Willy’s mouth open slightly. He blushes and ducks his head down, pretending to count the pencils in his hands.

“So yeah, like, you’re on the beach, bare feet… I think I hear my phone ringing.”

He scampers off before anyone else can speak. Willy has cocked his head to the side, thinking about what his friend has said. “Do you think so?” He asks. Freddie nods and Auston shrugs.

“Yeah, probably.”

“Huh.” Willy wanders off back to his area of the office before disappearing around the corner.

“I didn’t read that wrong, did I?” Auston asks slowly. He looks over at Zach who has his head down and his cheeks are still pink to where Willy disappeared for his desk. 

Freddie flashes him a knowing smirk. “Nope. Apparently, Willy’s video was a thirst trap too.”

“And Hymes is thirsty as fuck,” Auston says with a laugh. They’re both giggling madly by the time John comes by to remind them of the team meeting after lunch in the main board room.

*~*~*

**_ Scare Challenge _ **

Freddie should have really expected there to be a Tik Tok challenge in October for Halloween. There was the ‘glam up’ challenge that Freddie actually found pretty entertaining and offered to edit the video once everyone had their submissions ready. They all had decided to choose the popular song “I Used to Be So Beautiful, Now Look At Me’ for their reveals and once it was all put together, Freddie had been amazed at the creativity of his friends, and how hard they’d gone in for the challenge. Some of the guys had gone for scary or gory glam ups, but a few of the guys had surprised him by actually glamming themselves up in suits and styled hair. Willy and Kappy had taken it a step further and went full drag, much to everyone in the office’s respect.

But he’d thought that was it, until Willy approached him in the lunch room late one morning.

“Frederik. Just the man I’m looking for.”

Freddie raises an eyebrow as he takes a sip of his coffee. He needs a little more cream and adds it in without speaking. Finally, he settles into a chair at the table and nods for Willy to continue.

“I need your help.”

“Whatever it is, no.” Freddie answers with a straight face. He fights not to smile at the pouty frown that results. Most bad ideas that any of them get up to are because of this man. They seem like a good idea in theory until they put it into practice and then it’s always a spectacular failure. A fun failure, but there are always repercussions. And if he’s coming to Freddie, that mean’s he’s already run it by his partner in crime, Kappy, who must have turned him down. Which means that he’s already been through Mitch and Auston, and if THEY have turned him down, Freddie sure as hell isn’t going to agree.

But he’s curious enough to hear what Willy’s suggesting.

“You don’t even know…”

‘I know that if you’re coming to me, Kappy, Marns and Auston have said no. And if they don’t think it’s a good idea, I don’t know why you think I’d think it is a good idea.” Willy’s face contorts into a wide grin that has Freddie feeling a little off kilter.

“That’s the best part, they don’t know. No one has said no yet …well except you because you’re boring and lame…”

“Not a good idea to insult me if you’re trying to get me to go along with something,” Freddie reminds him as he takes a long drink of his coffee.

“Ugh,” Willy whines. “You know what I mean.”

“Do I?” Freddie raises an eyebrow and shrugs.

“You do. You didn’t think redecorating the entire office and moving everyone’s desks around to play a prank on Mo and JT was a good idea…”

“Because it was crazy, and you guys got caught halfway through.”

“Okay, so maybe it wasn’t planned out fully,” William concedes unhappily.

“And changing the decaf coffee with espresso beans?” Freddie asks, feigning boredom.

“That was fucking hilarious,” Willy counters, proud.

It was, but Freddie isn’t going to give him that satisfaction. Babcock had nearly had an aneurism in the middle of the office, and that was before he’d found out he’d been drinking espresso and not decaf for a week. Instead, he shrugs.

“And what about the buckets of water over all of the doors…”

“Okay, but this time it’s going to be good,” Willy promises. He sits down with Freddie and gives him his most innocent smile. “Because it’s going to be me and you, and they won’t even know.”

Freddie can’t deny that his interest is piqued. He nods for Willy to continue, his smile increasing ten-fold with each word out of his friend’s mouth. “So, it’s a tik tok scare challenge…”

They agree that they can’t let anyone … ANYONE in on the joke. Not if it is going to work. They’ll do it o Thursday, the day BEFORE Halloween so no one is suspicious. Willy has his part to do, Freddie his. Neither can wait until Thursday morning.

Their office is on the tenth floor of a building on the Lakeshore. The elevator brings them up to their floor, they have to use their security card to flash a scanner to open the glass doors and are met with a reception desk that leads down a wide hallway to their offices. For creative purposes, most of the offices are open concept, with only a few having traditional offices with doors that close and lock.

Willy and Freddie had gone to Kyle Dubas the day before for authorization to partake in the challenge since it’s in the office and using the company’s Logos and likenesses. Not only did Kyle authorize and approve the plan, he and Sheldon Keefe, their General Manager had agreed to station themselves at the front desk to give the appearance of normalcy so none of the guys would suspect anything when stepping off the elevator the next morning.

The reception desk is a very large half circle desk that takes up about 12 feet as you step onto the 10th floor. There is a giant blue Maple Leaf emblem on the wall behind the receptionist welcoming visitors and employees to Maple Leaf Graphic Designs. They agreed that they would let the others enter the floor and clear the desk before launching their plan into action. Willy had spoke to his contacts at the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team and borrowed their Carlton mascot uniform. He would stand in the costume about five feet from the desk and Freddie would be crouched across from Willy with the camera, waiting for the guys to come in and be scared by Willy.

They were at a point in the hallway where there is a fork, going down the hallway to the left would take you to executive offices, going straight would take them to the bullpen and associate offices, where all of the guys would be heading when they first get into work. Freddie is hidden by the wall, knowing that he can’t be seen until it’s too late.

“So, what’s the plan boys?” Kyle asks devilishly. He’s one of the youngest Presidents in the company’s offices and while he is great at what he does and is an intimidating boss when he’s working, he’s also down to earth and always in favour of team building and morale boosting.

“I’m going to be in the costume,” Willy says as he steps into the body and has Freddie zip him up. Stephanie at the front desk downstairs is going to call up to Amy when the guys come in and pass by her to the elevator so we’ll know who’s coming and when. When they pass by, they’ll say hi to you or Keefe and Amy and when they get to me, I’ll just jump out and scare them. Freddie is taping so we can edit and post.

“Excellent. Fred, your goal today is to edit it and we’ll show it at the team meeting today.”

They all share a high five when Amy calls that Steph has just let Morgan through.

Freddy is crouched in as Willy places the costume head in place. He takes a position in front of the wall, arms outstretched and absolutely still. Kyle’s voice is clear as he pretends that he’s explaining something to Amy when they hear the ding of the elevator stopping on their floor. There is a beep from Morgan’s entry card and Freddie hears him say good morning to Amy and Kyle.

“See you in a bit Kyle,” Morgan says as his footsteps get closer. Freddie has to fight not to giggle prematurely, knowing how Morgan is going to react at being scared. “Oh, hey big guy,” Morgan says to Willy in the Bear costume, obviously thinking it was just a stuffed prop.

Freddie is ready for the split second when Willy roars in response and reaches out for Morgan who jumps about a foot in the air.

“JESUS FUCKING… FUCK…” Morgan screams as he moves to punch Willy who has gone back to being still. Still breathing hard, Morgan approaches Willy cautiously and screams again when Willy waves at him. “SHIT. Fucking SHIT. 

That is when he notices Freddie still taping but laughing hysterically on the floor.

“Fucking bastards,” Morgan says with a laugh as he rubs his hands over his face. Kyle is laughing at the desk and Morgan shakes his head in disappointment. “Them I get, but you Kyle? You wound be Dubas.”

“Go, we’ve got more to do,” Willy says from inside the bear head.

“Marner is coming up,” Amy calls loudly. 

Freddie shushes Morgan and tells him to hurry down the hall so they can get ready for Mitch.

Twenty seconds later the elevator dings and they hear the beep from Mitch’s security pass.

“Good Morning Amy, looking beautiful today as usual.” Mitch says with a flirty smile.

“What about me?” Kyle asks with a laugh.

“Halloween’s tomorrow Dubas,” Mitch grins. “You wore your mask a day early.”

He waves as he heads down the hall towards the bullpen. He’s looking at something on his phone and passes by Willy without even noticing. Just as he’s right in front of the six-foot stuffed bear, Willy jerks out as though he’s going to push him and Mitch jumps out of the way, about a foot in the air.

Freddie starts to laugh as Mitch is jumping around from the adrenaline after being scared and is laughing hysterically.

“Oh my god,” Mitch laughs. He approaches Willy, not realizing who is in the costume and high fives him. “Is there a camera around?” He asks as he heads further down the hall, laughing as he slaps his leg with his hand.

Next is John Tavares. Freddie watches him slow down and give a suspicious look at Willy. Just as he’s about to keep walking, Willy jumps out at him and John reaches out to pull a punch at him.

“Fuck. FUCK!” John laughs, half hysterically. “WHAT THE FUCK!”

“Happy Halloween,” Willy says through the bear head and reaches out for a hug. John doesn’t pause and runs the rest of the way down the hall, only looking back to give them all the middle finger.

Kasperi has his water bottle in one hand and his phone in the other as he passes. Willy takes the opportunity to jump out at him, startling him so much he walks into the wall. Freddie is laughing as Kasper screams.

“You’ve got to be KIDDING me,” and keeps walking down the hall growling at them.

Zach is looking right at Willy when he jumps out to spook him causing for Willy to jump out of the way and duck under Willy’s arms. He’s laughing but definitely didn’t scare as much as the others had.

Travis barely misses a step as he jumps and keeps walking screaming “OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD” as he walks the length of the hallway without looking back.

Willy waits until Justin Holl has passed him before starting to walk after him. They get a few steps when he taps on Justin’s shoulder and Freddie nearly drops the phone at the look of terror on Justin’s face and the way he jumps.

“FUCKING FUCK,” Justin yells as he reaches out to punch Willy. They’re both laughing by the time Justin has calmed down.

Tyson and Alex arrive together. They both say their hellos to Kyle and Amy at the desk and are talking about the hockey game they watched the night before. As they get to where Willy is standing, he jumps out at them and screams, causing for Alex to jump onto Tyson’s back and the two of them take off down the hall screaming as they laugh hysterically.

Freddie has just gotten himself back under control when Mitch comes running back down the hall towards him.

“Aus is just parking,” Mitch says with glee. He sits down next to where Freddie is crouching, crosses his legs and starts rubbing his hands together excitedly. “I can’t miss this.”

Freddie laughs as Willy gives him a furry thumbs up.

“Jesus fuck,” Mitch whispers. “This is the best. I nearly shit my pants you guys scared me so bad.”

“I was suspicious at first,” Freddie admits with a laugh. “But this has been fucking hilarious.”

“Auston’s on his way up,” Amy yells in warning.

Freddie motions for Mitch to be quiet as he has started giggling in anticipating. They hear the elevator and security beep as the doors open. Auston says hello to Kyle and Amy at the desk and continues down the hall. He’s looking ahead, with laser focus and his hands in his suit pants pockets. Just as he’s right in front of Willy, he puts his hands up and jumps into action, running at Auston.

No one expects the way Auston jumps in the air, his arms flailing and the shrill scream that he emits as he starts running down the hall, still screaming.

Mitch is on the floor laughing hysterically. Freddie is trying to keep his hand still to tape Auston running as though his life depended on it and Willy has fallen to the floor, he’s laughing so hard. 

They’re all breathless and finally Freddie turns the camera off and lays back on the floor trying to catch his breath.

“Oh my god,” Mitch says through his tears. “That was worth it, just … did you hear that scream?”

“I’m never going to unhear it,” Kyle admits as he gives Willy a hand up so that he’s standing again. 

“What about Willy?” Mitch asks through his laughter. “I haven’t seen him come in.”

Freddie shakes his head and laughs harder. “Really?”

Mitch shrugs, his jaw dropping as Kyle removes the costumed head from Willy’s shoulders.

“You FUCKING FUCK,” Mitch screams as he runs up to tackle Willy. They’re all laughing ass Mitch and Willy roll around the carpeted floor. “Of course, you’d come up with this, and not have to be scared.” Mitch looks at Freddie and narrows his eyes. “And you?”

“Dude, can you imagine if I’d done that to Freddie?” Willy says as he catches his breath. “I’d have jumped out and screamed at him, he’d have cold cocked me in the jaw and kept walking, without even flinching.”

“Nope, one shot to the jaw one to the dick,” Freddie confirms with a shrug. Both Mitch and Willy’s eyes widen as they exchange a solemn look between them. Neither doubt it and Kyle laughs at the silent power Freddie holds over the two younger men.

“You’re fucking dead Nylander,” a voice calls from the other end of the hall. They look down to see Kasper watching them through slitted eyes and a menacing expression on his face. Their laughter only furthers him to run his finger over his throat and give Willy the finger.

“Don’t forget Fred, I want that video by our team meeting this afternoon. We’d better win this fucking challenge. I’m tired of Pittsburgh and Boston’s offices on our asses.”

“But if we win?” Freddie admits with a laugh. “It’ll be that scream from Matty. He’s got pipes!”

“Yeah, of a fifteen-year-old girl,” Mitch snorts as he heads down the hall to his desk. “See you guys this afternoon.”

Freddie has managed to calm his giggles by the time he gets to his desk. He has promised Willy to get first view of the video when it’s done being edited and avoids looking at Auston’s pout when he sits down. 

After about four heavy sighs in as many minutes from Auston, Freddie looks up from his desk to where the younger man is watching him from the corner of his eyes.

“Can I help you?” Freddie asks calmly. He has to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling.

“No,” Auston slouches deeper into his chair. 

This time Freddie does smile, he rests his chin on his hand and focuses his full attention on Auston.

“What?” Auston says with a glare. He’s noticed that Freddie is watching him in amusement and Freddie sees Austin’s cheeks turn a soft pink with blush.

“Just … I’ve known you for four years Matts.”

“And?” Auston is avoiding Freddie’s gaze, his eyes are flickering to random objects over Freddie’s shoulder, not landing on anything for too long before he turns his attention to his laptop screen. When Freddie hasn’t answered after a few moments, Auston looks up and gives him a petulant glare. “AND?”

“How did I not know how high your voice could go?” Freddie can’t keep the laughter in any longer and lets out a loud bellow. He sees the blush darken on Auston’s cheeks, trailing down his throat and into his shirt collar. He watches as Auston growls and sinks further into his seat. “That scream? EPIC!”

“Fuck you, Freddie,” Auston hisses.

Freddie can’t speak through his laughter, he’s leaning back in his chair with his head back and each time he starts to settle down, he replays Auston’s scream in his head and starts up again. Finally, he looks over to Auston who is laughing quietly with him, his eyes crinkled and pleased at how amusing Freddie is finding him.

“Freddie.” This time Auston is whining, giggling at his own embarrassment. “Don’t laugh at me.”

“Auston, did you hear that scream? Like, I think dogs all over Toronto heard that scream. I’ve never seen you run that fast.”

“Fuck, that fucking bear scared the shit out of me, dude. Like, he jumped out at me… what was I supposed to do?”

“I don’t know what you were supposed to do, but what you did was scream bloody murder and run. For a second, I thought someone brought their fifteen-year-old kid sister in here or something… Like I thought is Breyana here?”

“Dude, it wasn’t that bad!” Auston protests weakly.

“It was,” Mitch says enthusiastically approaching Auston’s desk with a wide grin. He tosses a pack of Halls onto Auston’s desk and winks at him. “Thought you might need something for your throat. That was a pretty vicious scream earlier.”

Mitch runs off in hysterics as Auston throws his stapler at him while Freddie loses himself again in laughter.

Their team meeting is at 1pm in the main board room. By five after everyone has settled in their regular seats and Kyle is at the head of the table with Sheldon at his side. 

They discuss issues they’re having with campaigns, share ideas for team leads and run down all of their active accounts that they’re working on. It’s near the end, after all business has been discussed that Kyle pulls down the projector screen and connects the screen mirror from his laptop.

“Some of you may have had a bit of an adventure coming into the office today,” Kyle’s mouth curves into a grin as he hears a symphony of groans in the boardroom. “We thought that maybe you would like to see the final product before it’s posted. Kind of like a morale boosting video…”

“Just play the video,” Mitch calls from his spot at the back. “I wanna see Matts scream like a girl on her Quinceañera again.”

“What do you know about that, eh Mitchy?” Morgan laughs as he throws a wadded ball of paper at Mitch.

“I was there for Breyana’s. Those 15-year-old girls take that shit seriously. I couldn’t hear for like three days afterwards.”

The group looks at Auston who nods in commissary. “Like, fuck you for the comparison, but he’s right. It’s pretty intense.”

“So here we go, and if this doesn’t beat out those bastards in Boston and Pittsburgh, I don’t know what will.”

By the end of the three minute video, everyone in the room is laughing so hard they’re crying. Once Kyle has rewound Auston’s scream and dash about four times, he slows it down to half speed and pauses on the look of pure terror on Auston’s face for everyone to cheer him on.

“Okay, okay.” Freddie says through his laughter. His hand is on the back of Auston’s chair, hand squeezing Auston’s shoulder affectionately. 

“Wait,” John interrupts whatever Freddie was about to say. “We know Freddie was taping, so he didn’t get scared. But where the fuck was Willy?” Everyone turns their head to look at Willy who is lounging back with a proud smile on his face. 

Kyle hits play and they see when Kyle takes the costume head off to reveal Willy in the Carlton outfit. Freddie had taped Mitch tackling Willy to the ground and the two of them wrestling until they had been broken up. 

Freddie knows that they won’t include this in the posted version, not wanting to reveal to any kids watching that their beloved hockey mascot for the Leafs has a person inside of the costume, but they’d wanted everyone to see just who had been responsible for the prank and see reactions of everyone when it was revealed. He affords a look at Kyle who is watching Willy intently. Willy is high fiving a few of the guys closest to him and waving off threats from his friends who are vowing for revenge, oblivious to the way that their boss is watching him with fascinated wonder. Freddie looks at Auston and then back to Kyle and realizes that maybe he’s not the only one in the office who is harbouring feelings for someone that they’re not entirely comfortable with acting on. He focuses back on Kyle, surprised to see the other man’s gaze now landed on him, watching him in understanding. They both offer a nod of solidarity as the meeting breaks up.

Not surprisingly, their Carlton Bear Scare Tik Tok Challenge wins the challenge.

It is followed by the New Jersey office who has someone dressed in a Devil costume with a fog horn and every time someone steps off the elevator at their floor, the fog horn goes off and the Devil is sending a nerf ball slap shot into the elevator.

The Vancouver office tried something similar to theirs with someone in a blow-up T-Rex costume but the reactions just aren’t as good, while the Carolina boys got filthy with a dude in a creepy clown mask jumping out of a laundry cart as people walked by.

The night that the poll ended and the Toronto boys won the Scare Challenge, happy hour drinks were on Kyle, an open tab offered to the boys as they piled into their local pub, a few doors down from the office. And if Freddie saw Kyle and Willy curled up in the corner, discussing their win with whispers directly in ears and hands under tables, no one was sober enough for him to make note of it for Monday.

~*~*~

**_ Kiss My Best Friend Challenge _ **

Freddie has watched over the past few months, since the Halloween Scare challenge, the differences in Willy and Kyle’s relationship. They’re strictly professional at the office and when it comes to work, but outside of normal business hours, they’ve slowly started becoming closer. Kyle, from what Freddie had heard, wanted to take it slow and he can’t blame the other man. Being eleven years older than Willy, not to mention his boss, is a lot to work through on a personal level. Freddie is eight years older than Auston and isn’t even his boss and he can understand the insecurities that Kyle is feeling in an age gap that wide.

But Willy isn’t one to shy away from going after something he wants, and it is crystal clear that he wants Kyle Dubas. And being a mere mortal man, Kyle has lost the battle in denying something that Willy wants, especially when it is something that he wants too.

Special teams’ leads were all spoken to one on one with Kyle and Brendan Shanahan, Kyle’s boss. One by one, Freddie, Zach, Mo and John were brought into Shanny’s office for a frank discussion. It was awkward, especially watching Kyle try to maintain a professional, detached opinion on his own romantic relationship and Freddie admired him for his commitment, both to his professional obligations but to Willy.

Do they have a problem with Kyle and William being involved?

Unanimous no.

Are they sure they don’t have a problem?

Seriously, no.

Are you comfortable with William being under Kyle’s management professionally?

Everyone but Mo questioned, wasn’t he under Morgan Reilly’s management?

Morgan’s recommendations for promotions and raises are approved ultimately by Kyle, would they be comfortable with Kyle being the deciding factor of Willy’s career?

All four men knew Kyle’s dedication to his job and his work ethic. All were comfortable that Kyle could separate one from the other.

Brendan was happy to hear that, both in regards to their respect for Kyle as a General Manager, and as the company as a whole. Brendan ultimately had the final say, but they were pleased to know that it wouldn’t be an issue.

Afterwards, the guys all met in a smaller board room to discuss their individual meetings with Kyle and Shanny. No one was surprised that Kyle and Willy had finally gotten their shit together, and no one was surprised that no one else had a problem with the two of them dating.

A knock on the door caused for all four men to pause, Zach was closest to the door. He opened it to find Kyle on the other side, looking apprehensive and a little nervous.

“May I join you?” Once he’d been given the okay by all four men, he stepped in and closed the door behind him. “I just wanted to make sure that everything is fine with all of you? None of your positions are in jeopardy if you aren’t.”

“Man, it’s fine,” John responded with a clap to Kyle’s shoulder. “We’re happy for you, all of this wasn’t necessary.”

“It was,” Kyle argued softly. “We don’t want there to be any secrets and I don’t want this to be something that breaks up the team. We’re the best at what we do, and I want there to be complete transparency. We deal with multi million-dollar contracts of clients and we can’t afford for internal questioning of employee contracts and favouritism…”

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed,” Morgan said with a laugh as he took a seat at the table. “There are no secrets in this office and we’re a very weirdly co-dependent group. No one is going to have a problem with you and Willy together. No more than when Mitch and Auston were together.”

“But neither Mitch nor Auston were in a position of management or executives,” Kyle answered, eyes directly on Freddie.

Freddie couldn’t help but feel that he’d been seen, he’s not directly Auston’s boss, but he’s in a position of power over him. 

“But even if one of them were…” Kyle paused to look at each of them. “If any one of you were dating someone on your team, we would want you to know that is allowed. We wouldn’t ever dictate your social or romantic life. If you were, we would like to be made aware of it, but just for damage control in case someone comes in later and has a problem with it. We trust all of you with professionalism and ethics, if we didn’t, you wouldn’t be where you are now. And ultimately, all decisions are authorized higher up, higher than me even, for that neutrality.”

And that was how Freddie not only found out that Kyle and Willy were dating, but that if he did finally get his head out of his own ass and tell Auston how in love with him he was, Dubas and Shanny would be okay with it.

Freddie had a lot of thinking to do.

~*~*~

Auston has gone home for a few days and Freddie finds himself hanging out with Mitch for a Friday night COD tournament. They’re playing online with Dylan in Chicago, Connor McDavid in Edmonton and Tyler Seguin in Dallas, using the time to also brainstorm new tik tok challenges.

“Glam up,” Tyler calls as he starts shooting at someone in the corner of the screen.

“You always want to do glam ups because then you can get naked,” Connor snorts over the headset. He’s echoed by Freddie and Dylan over the line in agreement.

“Dude,” Mitch says with a leer. “You don’t need to wait for challenges to do that, you can just do that daily. No one will mind.”

“You know who might mind,” Dylan says sharply, causing for everyone to laugh. “Your fucking boyfriend might mind that Marns.”

Freddie lets out a burst of laughter as Mitch’s player is shot and dies on the screen. He looks across the couch to see Mitch sitting with his face in his hands, trying not to laugh into his headset.

“So, no glam ups?” Tyler cackles. They all take turns in making fun of Mitch who ducks out when Dylan does to go and talk to his boyfriend on a private line with no prying ears. “Dude, is he actually mad?” Tyler asks with genuine concern.

“Nah,” Connor snorts onto the screen. “Knowing Dyls he’s pretending to be mad to get Mitch alone so they can skype sex.”

At that moment, Freddie hears Mitch in his bedroom, letting out a low moan and giggle and groans. “Yep, I can hear it loud and clear.”

“Dude, where are you?” Tyler asks just a few more of their friends log I and start to join their teams. “Don’t tell me you’re at Marns’ and he just left you to go cyber fuck his boyfriend?”

“What the fuck did I miss?” Auston’s voice comes in clear as Freddie sees his avatar light up and join the game.

“Just us figuring out what the next tik tok challenge should be,” Connor says bored. “Tyler wants to get naked and Mitch is here for it. Dylan, not so much.”

By the time they all log off a few hours later, they’re nowhere near coming up with a solid plan. Mitch has since come back into the living room after a shower and has joined Freddie on the couch. Freddie logs off and tells Auston he’ll see him when he’s back and the others he’ll talk to them next time they’re all on line together.

“Why are you even doing the challenges?” Mitch asks once he’s keyed in their order for diner to be delivered. He looks up at Freddie who shrugs and sinks lower into the couch cushions.

“Matts likes them. You guys have fun with them and it’s …whatever.” He glares at the smile that elicits from Mitch. “What?”

“Matts likes them so you do them,” he mimics Freddie’s monotone voice. “What’s wrong with you two? Why aren’t you guys together?”

Freddie feels his stomach drop and his chest get tight. He’s done everything he can to keep his feelings for Auston hidden deep in a compartment that will never see the light of day, but Mitch is looking at him like he’s broadcasting it like a beacon.

“What?”

“Well, I definitely thought that once he and I broke up, you’d make your move. Then you didn’t.”

“We’re friends.”

“I know, and you’re in love with him. Fuck, he’s in love with you. I just don’t know how neither of you have done anything about it.”

“He’s not in love with me,” Freddie tries to keep his voice even. He knows he’s taken a wrong step when Mitch’s face lights up.

‘But you didn’t say you’re not in love with him!”

“Fuck you, Mitchy,” Freddie whines. He covers his face with his hands and wills his stomach to stop churning. “You’re such a brat.”

“Dude, you know what you should do?” Mitch is up on his knees, bouncing with excitement. It’s hard for Freddie not to get caught up in it and he laughs as he pulls his hands from his face. 

“What?”

Instead of speaking, Mitch grabs his phone from the coffee table and unlocks it. He taps the screen a few times and hands it to Freddie before hitting play.

The start of a collection of tik tok videos in a compilation starts to play. The subject of the video is “Kiss Your Best Friend Challenge.”

Freddie watches compilations of peoples lives, girls outlining their relationship with their best guy friends and guys with their best girl friends. There are even a few dudes who admit they’re in love with their best friend who is a guy as well. They’re all similar in showing how they met, videos of them hanging out, laughing together, having fun. They then admit how long they’ve been in love with their best friend and are finally going to do something about it. They take the leap and kiss their best friend.

Some end with both friends laughing it off, admitting that it wasn’t what they thought it would be. Some end with the guy or girl being kissed brushing it off like it was a joke and the one kissing them shrugging it off and looking uncomfortable. 

The videos that catch Freddie’s eyes? The ones where they kiss the person and that person kisses back, sometimes they pull apart for a few moments, and one pulls the other back in and they kiss again. Freddie holds his breath as he closes his eyes, he’s picturing him pulling Auston in and kissing him. A number of scenarios play in his mind.

First. Auston laughs and shoves him away, thinking he’s kidding leaving Freddie to pretend it was a joke and hide for as long as it takes to lick his wounds and battered ego.

Second. Auston shoves him away angry, ruining their friendship, leaving Freddie to move home to Denmark and change his name so no one would ever find him.

Third: Freddie goes to move in and chickens out, never again even contemplating making a move or telling Auston how he feels about him.

Fourth: Auston is shocked for a moment as Freddie kisses him. When they pull away, Auston smiles at him in the way that causes Freddie’s brain to short circuit and pulls him in for a kiss that turns filthy and hot before they head into the bedroom, not to emerge for at least a week.

“THAT,” Mitch says loudly, startling Freddie out of his reverie. “Whatever scenario THAT was, that’s what’s going to happen, so that’s why you have to do it.”

“The fuck are you talking about Mitch?” Freddie asks, ignoring the blush that he knows is on his face right now. He shakes the feelings of uncertainty off and sees Mitch watching him with patient eyes.

“Your face was all…” Freddie watches as Mitch’s face morphs into an embarrassed expression, to a devastated sad expression to a sheepish expression to finally end on a dopey smile, obviously trying to show him what his face had looked like while going over each scenario in his head. “Those first three were shit, and there’s no way whatever you were thinking about will happen. But that last one? The gross, lovey smile you had on your face, the one you always look at Matty with? That’s what you need to focus on. Because there is no way he’s not in love with you. Dude, I was convinced he was in love with you when we were dating.”

Freddie can’t stop the gasp and shock on his face at Mitch’s admission.

“Dude, don’t worry about it, like … it wasn’t a thing. I knew nothing happened and we’re cool, right?” Mitch grins at Freddie’s nod. “See, but I wasn’t blind dude. You two are like… so fucking perfect for each other. I’ve never seen anyone as gross as the two of you, and believe me, I’ve heard some shit from Willy about Kyle.”

“I love how you’re so fucking romantic and love this type of shit but you keep calling it gross,” Freddie says with a shy smile.

“I have to maintain at least SOME chill,” Mitch says with a snort. There is a knock at his door and he gets up to collect their dinner. They’re half through their meals when he brings up the topic again. “Dude, you need to get your man. Like, sweep in and romance the fuck out of him. And let me tell you, doing a Tik Tok will do it. Do you know how fucking happy he was when Willy told him you wanted to help him with the scare challenge? Dude, when you did that reverse glam up with the ugly Christmas sweater video? He nearly creamed his pants! I had to hear about it for like, weeks after how you did it without even being begged.”

Freddie shovels a spoon full of rice into his mouth to avoid saying anything.

“Dude, you’re doing it,” Mitch says confidently. Freddie doesn’t try to deny it because he’s right.

~*~

It appears that Freddie has hours of video of himself and Auston on his phone. It’s ranging from the early days of their friendship and throughout until more recently. There is almost 5 years of footage of the two of them together that Freddie spends a week going through to tag and mark for the final cut of his video.

What he needs to do is decide how he’s going to lead up to the kiss and then finally, just take the plunge and kiss his best friend.

Auston’s first attempt is when they’re at Johnny’s house for a pool party. The whole office has been invited plus significant others and everyone is enjoying a gorgeously sunny Sunday afternoon. The barbeque has been going with steaks, hot dogs and hamburgers, side dishes in the kitchen so not to get too hot from the heat outside.

Freddie and Auston had gone inside to cool off in the air conditioning and Auston had talked Freddie into playing a game of pool.

“I’m going to just go for a piss,” Freddie tells Auston with a smile. “Set up the table and I’ll be right back.”

He gives himself a pep talk in the bathroom. He just needs to set up his phone on the ledge of the bar, wait until they’re both in the camera’s sight and kiss Auston.

Once he returns, Auston tells him to break the balls and he’ll get them both a drink. Freddie takes that moment to check the view of the camera and set it up. By the time Auston returns, he’s just about to break the set.

They’re halfway through the game and Austin is resting casually against the table, directly in the camera’s angle. Freddie goes to stand beside him and nudges him with his shoulder. “You okay, Aus?”

Auston tilts his head to look up at Freddie and grins. “The best.” Their eyes lock and Freddie knows that this is his moment, this is when he should reach over and cup Auston’s cheek with his hand and pull him in for a kiss.

Freddie doesn’t move. They both break into comfortable laughter and Auston pushes Freddie off the table to take his shot.

He knows he should be disappointed, but he’s not. He laughs as Willy comes into the room just as they’re finishing their game to tell them to come out to the pool and hang out with them, his shirt on backwards and ball cap high on his head.

Freddie hits the stop button on the video his camera is recording and figures if nothing else, he’ll use the almost kiss as his first attempt.

~*~*

The second attempt Freddie makes is when they’re filming for a cooking challenge. They’re in Auston’s kitchen and he’s trying to make pancakes. But to complete the challenge, he has to flip the pancakes into the air so that they land on the plate. 

Freddie’s phone is on the tripod in front of the island and they’re on probably the fortieth take, since they both start laughing each time Auston tries to look serious and stutters on his words. Freddie has his face pressed into Auston’s flour covered hoodie as he giggles uncontrollably. Auston runs his batter covered hand through his hair causing the strands to stick up and leave a white path in their wake.

There has never been a moment that Freddie has been more in love with his best friend than he is right now. The kitchen is filthy with half cooked pancakes on the floor, batter splattered all over the stove and counter and a mess that neither of them are going to be happy about cleaning afterwards. Auston’s face is red from trying to hold in his laughter and both of them are holding their stomachs.

There is a moment where Freddie looks up and Auston is looking down at him. Their eyes meet and both smirk at the filthy mess of pancake batter and ingredients both on them and all over the kitchen.

“I say we pick a different challenge and pretend this never happened?” Auston says softly, voice laced with remnants of breathlessness from his laughter.

“I won’t tell if you don’t.” Freddie assures him with a wink. For a moment he thinks about cupping Auston’s face and pulling him down so that their mouths can meet in a sticky kiss. Before he can make his hands move, they’re both laughing as Auston’s dog comes bounding into the kitchen and lapping hungrily at the mess of pancakes on the floor.

By then, they’re both laughing too hard as Auston tries to pull his dog away from the mess and Freddie grabs his phone to stop filming that the moment is lost and he chalks it up to one more entry in the learning experience column.

~*~*~

The third opportunity only presents itself in hindsight and Freddie isn’t aware of it until Mitch brings it to his attention later that night.

“Next tik tok challenge,” Willy says as he comes from his area of their office to where Mitch, Auston, Freddie and Mo are discussing tickets to the Jays game that weekend. They are buying group seats and were arguing whether they should get regular seats or see if there is a box available so they can spread out and not have to worry about the heat and the sun.

“Okay?” Mitch says when no one else speaks.

“First off,” Willy grins. “We’re getting a box. Alex said that he and a few of the other Chicago boys are coming up this weekend since Dylan is coming up to visit Mitchy so well just get a box so there’s more room. I’ve already called it in and texted you how much you owe me.”

“Yay!” Mitch says with a grin and a high five to Willy. 

“Secondly,” Willy laughs. “Staring contest.”

“Seriously?” Freddie asks with a roll of his eyes.

“Seriously, and because you’re a bitch, you’re voted for first round,” Willy laughs as he gives Freddie the finger.

“No one’s going to want to go against Fred,” Auston whines. “He’s like a machine when he wants to be.”

“And because you’re a whiny bitch, you’re going against him.” Willy points at Mitch. “You’ll take winner of those two and I’ll take winner of your round.” He turns around to the rest of the guys in the room. “Anyone else in?”

Morgan and Tyson raise their hands with a laugh as does a few of the others.

“Shit, we need to have brackets” Willy says in excitement.

In all there are fourteen in the office who are roped in to participate. It becomes a whole tournament, work is set aside and everyone gets their game faces on to participate.

The face off with Auston is intense. It’s funny at first, the two of them keeping their eyes wide and neither willing to concede defeat. The longer it goes, and it feels like at least an hour, the more they start to giggle. It’s when Auston’s eyes start to water and he’s making the weirdest faces that Freddie struggles the hardest to keep his eyes open and not avert his gaze.

In the end he wins.

He beats Auston who is hysterically laughing and crying at the same time, and then every single person he is against the rest of the afternoon.

He wins the whole challenge and Willy protests that Freddie somehow cheated with his Danish mind tricks and his goalie mojo.

Everyone else simply tells Willy that they could have told him to begin with that Freddie would take the whole challenge and for his effort, Freddie is crowned Staring Contest Champion and that he won’t have to pay for a single drink at Happy Hour that night.

“So, you realize that was a perfect opportunity,” Mitch asks as he slides into the booth beside Freddie later that night. Auston had just gotten up to hit the bar for another round and Freddie is trying to get the energy to walk across the bar to where the bathrooms are.

“Explain?” Freddie asks a smug looking Mitch.

“Dude, he was looking at you so intently…”

Freddie gives Mitch a pitying look and a shake of his head. “You mean when we were having a staring contest? Auston was looking at me? Intently? For the staring contest?”

Mitch pushes Freddie’s forehead away and rolls his eyes. “Don’t be a dick, it’s not attractive.”

“Fuck you, Marns. I’m plenty attractive. And my dick? Fucking obscene it’s so attractive.” Freddie blushes as Mitch looks down at his groin and licks his lips playfully.

“I’ll bet.”

“Your point, you asshole?” Freddie laughs as Mitch starts to cackle. He shoves Mitch so that he’s nearly falling out of the booth.

“I’m saying, we were taping it. You guys were staring at each other. You just had to lean in and kiss him. Perfect opportunity.”

Freddie watches as Auston makes his way through the bar back to the table. He’s stopped at Zach’s table, talking to Kappy and Kerfy there before nodding towards where Freddie is sitting and continues his trek back. Not surprisingly, he has three drinks, one for each of them and one for Mitch. Freddie grins drunkenly at how thoughtful Auston is and how much he loves him.

“Aww, Riko. I love you too,” Auston replies, startling Freddie. He hadn’t realized he’d said it out loud and coughed to cover his embarrassment. 

“Yeah, we all love Freddie,” Mitch teases and ruffles his hair playfully. They chat for a few more minutes before Mitch stands up and tells them he has a few things he wants to run by Willy before the guys from Chicago file in that weekend. “But seriously Fred,” Mitch says with a sink. “Just nut up and do it dude. You’ll thank me.”

When Mitch ambles away from the table, Auston turns to Freddie. “Nut up and do what?”

Freddie groans and rubs his face with his hands, trying to figure something to say that won’t seem suspicious. Finally, he looks at Auston who is watching him with a smile on his face. 

“Threesome with him and his boy,” Freddie shrugs and revels at the laugh that escapes Auston’s lips. “Said that he wanted to finally show Stromer a good time in Toronto this weekend and thought I could help.”

Freddie is relieved that it seems to distract Auston from delving any further. He’s curled up against Freddie’s side, laughing hysterically into his shoulder and Freddie enjoys the moment, their easy friendship and how much he truly does love this man beside him.

~*~*~

It’s a rare Saturday night where nothing is going on. Willy had sent out a message in the group chat earlier that he and Kyle were having a date night in, which everyone had eventually admitted to making alternate plans as well. Without even thinking about it, Freddie and Auston make plans for diner and a movie at Freddie’s condo.

Rather than order in, Freddie has decided to cook for them and they’ve spent the majority of the night thus far hanging out in the kitchen talking as he cooks and Auston watches. It’s a casual, comfortable night like a thousand they’ve had before. Once the dishes are in the dishwasher and they’ve cleaned the dining room and kitchen, they’ve moved to the couch and made themselves comfortable in their usual spots.

Auston’s laid back, feet up on the coffee table while Freddie has his stretched out on the long L portion of the couch beside him. They’re shoulder to shoulder and Freddie allows himself to relax fully against Auston’s side.

“I’m happy for them,” Auston says out of the blue as he’s swiping through his phone. Freddie looks over and sees that Auston is on his Instagram account looking at posts from the day. He sees that Auston has stopped on a picture of Kyle and Willy both with their heads back in laughter, Kyle’s head tilted into Willy’s cheek.

When Freddie doesn’t speak, Auston looks up and sees him looking at his phone with a smile on his face. Their eyes meet and Freddie clears his throat.

“Yeah, I know man. Me too. Like, I’ve never seen Willy so settled, so…” There’s a word that Freddie is looking for but doesn’t know exactly what it is. Willy has always been a happy guy, content with life and easy going, not one to focus too much on the negatives but more on living his life and making himself and the people around him happy. But lately, since he and Kyle had gotten together and made their relationship official, he’d been different. Happier, even radiant. Willy had settled into himself in a way that Freddie hadn’t realized he hadn’t been to begin with and it gave him hope. He looks down at Auston who is watching him with a silent awe, his lips curled into a soft smile.

“I know what you mean. He’s glowing,’ Auston’s voice is soft. He pulls out his phone and Freddie watches as he sets his Instagram up to take a picture to post. “Here, lets make everyone jealous that they’re not hanging with us.”

Freddie moves so that they’re both in the frame, both with rosy cheeks, smiling in the dimly lit room. His stomach flutters and his chest begins to beat as his heart races. It looks romantic, they look like they’re together. Freddie wants that so much but he bites his lip as he watches Auston caption the picture and post it.

He has to lighten the mood, needs to bring them back to even ground. “What are you going to do with your hols? Mitchy was talking about St. Barts or something.” Surprisingly, he sees Auston wrinkle his nose and shake his head.

“Nah, I’m thinking about going home for a bit. Not the whole time, but for a few days at least, see my family. Get some of my mom’s cooking, I miss her food man.” Auston’s head is still resting on Freddie’s shoulder and he looks up to meet Freddie’s eyes. “You?

Freddie shrugs, mindful not to jostle Auston’s head too much. “I was thinking the same thing,” says blithely. He feels Auston chuckle.

“You were thinking of going to Scottsdale for a bit? Get my mom’s cooking and spend time with my fam?”

Laughing, Freddie rolls his eyes. “Yeah, I’ve been missing Ema’s tortilla soup so much.” He pauses for a moment and nods his head seriously. “Actually, I have been missing Ema’s cooking. Like, I meant Denmark to visit MY family, but damn. Maybe I’ll have to make a layover in Arizona for a few days.”

“We should go the first weeks of September. I think Dubas is going to shit a brick if we all take off the exact same time again, and I know he and Willy are taking their vacation in October for Thanksgiving and probably shacking up at his cottage to spend the whole time being thankful for fucking non stop… And Marns was saying that he and Dylan were going to take off in August with a bunch of the guys…”

“We’ll hit up Scottsdale for like, what? A week and then head to Herning for a week?” 

Auston nods. “I’ve never gone with you when you go home. I wanna see where baby Freddie was born and grew up.”

“Yeah. Works for me. My parents have been wondering when you were gonna visit them back home.”

“Tell Mama and Papa Andersen I haven’t because their son has no manners and has never invited me, had to fucking invite myself, didn’t I?”

Freddie knows Auston is joking by the smirk on his face and the laughter in his eyes. He grabs his phone and opens the latest text chat he has with his family and lets them know that once his vacation is approved, he’ll be coming home in early September. And that he’ll be bringing Auston with him. He knows that they’re still asleep and won’t get his message until the morning, since they’re hours ahead of Toronto and it’s pretty late already.

With a few swipes of his thumb, he opens his Facebook account and makes a few comments on family members’ pages letting them know that he’ll see them soon when he comes to visit. It’s not until he opens a video compilation that he gets an idea. Auston is still cuddled against his side, head on his arm, watching Mighty Ducks, which he had insisted on putting on since it had been ages since Freddie had watched it with him. He sees Auston’s legs stretched out, crossed at the ankle, resting on the coffee table.

“I have an idea,” Freddie says with a grin. Auston’s eyes flicker up and Freddie motions for him to shift up just a little so that he can move. He opens his camera on his phone and starts recording as he places it on the coffee table to aim at them. “We should film some video for tik tok.”

Auston sits up immediately, a pleased smile on his face. “Dude really? Like what?”

Freddie gets up to check the view of the camera. He manages to get the angle perfect and sits back down with Auston so that they’re sitting as comfortable as they were, but now looking at his phone and then each other. “Thumb war? Rock Paper Scissors?” He offers with a smirk.

If nothing, Auston is unfailingly competitive, even when it comes to thumb wars and rock paper scissors, so it will make for entertaining footage no matter what happens.

“Fine,” Auston says stretching out his neck and then his hands. He cracks his knuckles and gets ready, waiting for Freddie to do the same. 

Freddie smiles at the camera and makes his announcement. “Here we have Auston and myself, Freddie. Epic thumb war challenge. Let’s do this people.”

It is a disaster of hilarious proportions from the beginning. Freddie is a master at thumb war while Auston can’t stop giggling and trying to shoulder check Freddie to knock him off his game. The best of three turns into a best of five which turns into Auston losing ten thumb war battles in a row.

They’re both breathing heavily, Freddie laughing at how increasingly frustrated Auston is getting and how the more Auston tries to concentrate and focus, the easier it is for Freddie to win.

“You’re such a fucking cheater,” Auston is groaning through his laughter as he punches Freddie’s thigh sharply. “Stop cheating!”

Freddie can barely breathe through his laughter so when he tries to speak, it comes out as a squawk, which sets them both off on another bout of laughter. 

“How am I cheating?” Freddie finally asks, he’s leaned in and has started tickling Auston mercilessly. The tickling turns into a slap fight until finally Freddie is able to get the upper hand and keep Auston at an arm’s length so that he can catch his breath.

“I don’t know HOW you’re cheating,” Auston pouts through his laughter. “I just know you are, because I never lose at thumb war.”

“Marns doesn’t count,” Freddie snickers. “You just have to look him directly in the eye and he’ll start laughing and you win.”

“Fine,” Auston takes a long pull from his beer and sits back. “Rock paper scissors, there’s no way you can beat me at that. I’m the Master.”

Freddie doesn’t even try to hide his laughter as he settles back and pretends to agree with Auston. “Master. Sure.”

“I am. Fuck you, Freddie. Let’s do this.”

“One.”

“Two.”

“Three.”

They shake their hands. Freddie throws scissors. Auston throws paper.

“Lucky shot,” Auston hisses.

They shake their hands three times again. Freddie throws rock. Auston throws scissors.

Freddie watches as Auston sits up straighter, his eyes narrowing with focus.

“Again.”

They shake their hands again. Freddie throws rock. Auston throws scissors.

Freddie throws paper. Auston throws Rock.

Freddie throws scissors. Auston throws paper.

“You’re fucking cheating!” Auston roars, once again slapping Freddie’s thigh sharply.

Freddie is incapable of holding back his raucous laughter. He’s thrown his head against the back of the couch and is holding onto his stomach from how hard he’s laughing. “I’m cheating? At fucking rock, paper, scissors?”

“YES!” Freddie can see that Auston is trying not to laugh, which only makes his pouting look even more ridiculous. “DON’T LAUGH AT ME!”

Freddie rolls away from Auston so that he can press his face in the couch cushion beside him. His whole body is shaking violently and he’s gasping for breath in between his laughter. “How can someone cheat at fucking rock, paper scissors?”

“I don’t know you asshole,’ Auston pouts petulantly. “But you’re doing it.”

“Fine,” Freddie gasps with laughter. “We’ll have one more battle, for the whole contest. Whoever wins this next one, wins the night.” He looks over at Auston who has his arms crossed over his chest and his nose scrunched up. The only thing that is telling Freddie that Auston isn’t truly mad is the way his mouth is curled into a half smile, like he’s trying to frown but can’t.

“Fine. But you can’t cheat.”

He crosses his finger over his heart in a promise. “I promise.”

They shake their hands three times. Freddie waits a fraction of a second to see if he can hold off until Auston throws his so he can lose.

Auston throws rock the same time Freddie throws paper.

Freddie groans as Auston lets out a roar of defeat.

“I TRIED TO LOSE,” Freddie cries as Auston jumps on Freddie to start to play wrestle him. “I give. You win…”

They’re wrestling back and forth, both men laughing too hard to land any real hits and by the time they’re done fighting, both of them are gasping for breath. Freddie can’t stop another round of laughter which sets Auston off and by the time they’re able to catch their breath, they’re curled up together on the couch. 

As Freddie feels Auston’s body start to shake from his laughter again, he looks to his right and catches Auston’s eyes. They share a knowing smirk and Auston shakes his head. “You fucking cheater.”

“Seriously?” Freddie asks. His heart is full from this man, cheeks pink from laughter, eyes crinkled and hair mussed up. Auston is practically glowing with happiness and Freddie couldn’t turn his attention away from him if he tried. He watches Auston lick his lips as he takes a deep breath and Freddie’s stomach clenches with want.

“No.” Auston laughs as Freddie shoulder checks him in response. He focuses his attention back on the TV to see where the movie is but Freddie can’t look away. He’s fixated on Auston’s face, on his mouth and before he can second guess himself, he moves.

Freddie reaches over and rests his fingers on Auston’s jaw as he gently pulls his face up to where Freddie is, where his mouth is waiting. The movement is slow enough that Auston can pull away if he wants, if this ISN’T what he wants, but before Freddie knows their mouths are pressed together and he’s kissing Auston. Their mouths meet in a gentle press of lips until Freddie tilts his head and he parts his lips enough to lick at the seam of Auston’s mouth. He feels Auston gasp into the kiss, the action bringing their tongues together in a brief pressure that sends a jolt of electricity through Freddie’s body down to his toes.

In all, Freddie would have to guess that the kiss lasts about thirty seconds, possibly even only twenty, before Auston pulls back. The shock is clear in his eyes, his cheeks a deep pink of surprise and uncertainty. When Auston breaks the kiss, they’re still so close that Freddie can feel the other man’s breath on his lips, but his hand is still cupping Auston’s cheek and his other hand is resting on Auston’s hip gently.

“Actually?” Auston says breathlessly, his eyes never leaving Freddie’s. Out of the corner of his eye, Freddie can see how Auston’s lips curl into a slow, lazy grin. Freddie’s stomach flips and he can’t contain his own happy grin.

“Yeah. Actually.”

“Fuck,” Auston groans. This time he raises a hand to cup Freddie’s jaw in his palm, pulling the older man in for a deep, filthy kiss. He doesn’t hesitate to part his lips and trace Freddie’s lips with his tongue. “Let me in, Fred.” He whispers, pulling back a fraction of an inch. “Please.”

Freddie’s eyes flutter open and he sees Auston watching him, hunger in his depths. He sighs against Auston’s mouth, eyes shutting as he lets Auston dictate the pace of their kiss. It starts off slow, almost sweet and syrupy until Freddie whimpers. The sound sparks a fire in Auston who deepens the kiss, pressing Freddie back into the couch as he moves to straddle him.

“Wait...” Freddie gasps breathlessly. He puts a hand on Auston’s shoulder to stop him from climbing into his lap. When he sees a flash of worry in Auston’s eyes, he leans up to press a chaste kiss on his mouth. “Hold on babe,” he says against Auston’s mouth. “Just need to turn the camera off.” Freddie smirks into the lenses and can’t wait to see what the finished product is going to look like. He knows his lips are swollen and his hair is mussed from where Auston had run his fingers through the ginger locks. Once he’s stopped recording and locked his phone, Freddie turns around to see Auston laying back on the couch, legs spread as if an invitation for Freddie to slide himself into place.

There is a look of nervous anxiety in Auston’s eyes, he’s biting his lip and looks unsure. Freddie has never seen his best friend look so lost, so insecure and he slowly crawls his way over so that he’s hovering on top of Auston.

“You sure about this, Fred?” Auston asks softly. “You want this?”

Freddie leans in to pull Auston’s lower lip out from where it’s trapped between his teeth. He caresses Auston’s jaw and cheek affectionately, making a point to memorize this moment.

“Fuck, babe. I’m all in Matty,” Auston leans down to press his mouth against Auston’s in a sweet kiss that deepens quickly so that Freddie nearly loses what else he was about to say. He pulls away so that he can catch Auston’s gaze, stroking his skin gently and cataloguing all of the sounds coming from Auston’s mouth. “I’m so fucking sure about this.”

There is a fraction of a second where Auston just stares at him in awe before he flips them over so that Freddie is beneath him, Auston straddling his lap with the most brilliant smile on his face. “God, Freddie.” Auston leans down to kiss Freddie in a rough, hungry kiss. “I’ve wanted this for so long…” His fingers trail up Freddie’s cheek, across his forehead and down his nose to land on his lips. “I’ve wanted YOU for so long.”

Nothing could have prepared Freddie for how that would feel, hearing Auston’s admission. Mitch had told him that Auston was in love with him, had felt the same way, but hearing it from Mitch, and hearing it directly from Auston was lifechanging. “Yeah? Since?”

“Since always,” Auston admits shamelessly. Looking into Auston’s eyes is like looking deep into his soul and Freddie is overwhelmed in the best, most perfect way. He pulls Auston down and kisses him softly. 

“Me too,” Freddie whispers into Auston’s mouth.

They manoeuvre themselves around until Auston is pressed back against the couch and Freddie is half on top of him, grinding down against him seductively. Their mouths are working together hungrily, hands breaching areas that both have only ever thought about doing, never expecting to be given the opportunity.

Freddie can’t remember the last time he was this content to just make out with someone, trading kisses, sometimes lazy, sometimes so heated that both broke away gasping for air only for them to look into each other’s eyes, and come together to start the pattern all over again. Freddie had one hand cupped to Auston’s jaw affectionately while the other was glued to the back of Auston’s thigh which had wrapped around his waist and was holding Freddie as tight to his body as they could possibly manage with their clothes in the way. He trembled into Auston’s kiss each time the younger man trailed his blunt nails down the back of Freddie’s neck to his shoulder while Auston’s other hand was firmly rooted to Freddie’s ass.

“Wait...” Auston gasps, pulling back from the kiss with a breathless hiss. His eyes open lazily and Freddie marvels at how beautiful Auston is, sedated and drugged by their kisses. Auston leans in, kissing Freddie a little more before he pulls off again. “Did you …. Oh fuck…” He leans back in for another hungry kiss. “Did you fucking make a move on fucking Tik Tok?” It isn’t until they break free from a series of hungry kisses that Auston shakes his head to clear it. “Like did that happen?”

Freddie feels the blush cover his cheeks and buries his face in Auston’s throat. “Maybe?” When Auston doesn’t respond, Freddie peeks his head out and looks up at the other man, he’s watching him fondly with hearts in his eyes. Freddie fully understands the feeling.

“You …you really like me?”

Freddie fights not to roll his eyes. Instead he grins down at Auston with what he knows must be a lovesick expression on his face. “I more than like you, Aus. I always have.” He nudges his cheek into Auston’s hand that is caressing his face gently.

“I love you too, Fred. God, I fucking love you.”

As long as Freddie has thought about this, as long as he’s been in love with Auston, he’s not in any rush to take him to bed and fuck him. He wants Austin in every way possible, and can feel how much Auston wants him, both in his kiss and with the hardness against his leg, but he’s not ready to rush this part. The lazy making out on the couch, enjoying Auston’s body pressed against his, their arms wrapped around each other, the feel of Auston’s mouth on his and the knowledge that they don’t have anything to push towards. That this is where they’re supposed to be at this time, and the rest will come in due time.

They have rolled around on the couch to where Freddie is on his back and Auston is laying on top of him, their bodies pressed together perfectly. Auston is holding himself up on his elbows, hovering over Freddie, their mouths teasing each other with delicious kisses between promises for their future.

“So...” Auston asks shyly, his eyes focusing on every point of Freddie’s face except his eyes. “Your …uh video. Did you plan this for tonight?”

Freddie can’t stop the nervous laughter that escapes his mouth. He rubs his eyes with his hand and settles Auston down on him more comfortably.

“I didn’t plan it for tonight, but I didn’t …not plan on it for tonight?” He answers honestly. When Auston raises a suspicious eyebrow, Freddie relents and tells him the entire story. From the night that Auston had been back home and Mitch had spoken to Freddie about wooing Auston, to giving him the idea to do a ‘Kiss My Best Friend Challenge’.

Auston looks properly awed and humbled throughout the entire story.

Freddie admits that he’d had enough footage for the history part of the video but just had to find the courage to actually kiss him. He tells Auston about each attempt, at John’s pool party, the infamous pancake challenge and then finally the staring contest. The more that Freddie tried to find a perfect moment, the more he was over thinking it.

“Can I see?” Auston’s voice is soft. He’s resting his head on Freddie’s shoulder, looking up at Freddie as he speaks.

“See?”

“The videos you’ve made. What you’ve got so far.”

The air is thick between them, Freddie’s lips curl into a shy grin and he rolls his eyes as he crawls out from where Auston is laying on him. “Now?”

“Yeah.” Auston pauses for a moment and Freddie watches his eyes grow wide. “Fuck yeah, now. And then show me the video tonight and we can edit it together and post it. Everyone’s going to be so fucking jealous.”

It takes another ten minutes for Freddie to extricate himself from Auston’s arms, the two of them falling back down onto the couch, kissing hungrily until Auston finally rolls off of Freddie and runs to the bedroom where he knows Freddie keeps his laptop.

“Stop distracting me,” Auston giggles as he curls up against Freddie’s side on the couch. He waits patiently as Freddie boots up his laptop and he syncs his phone videos to his editing programme on his MacBook.

They’re both silent as Freddie shows Auston what he’s edited together so far for his video.

When they’d first met.

Videos of them playing hockey together.

Videos of them on the beach when they’d gone to the Virgin Islands.

Videos of them playing video games.

Clips from past tik toks they’d done.

Videos of each of Freddie’s attempts to kiss Auston.

He’d chosen a romantic instrumental song to play in the background with script documenting each part of their story.

At the end of the four minutes, they only needed to add on the footage from that night.

Freddie queued up the clip that he’d recorded earlier, not editing it so they could see what they were working with.

Both men watched themselves chat comfortably on the couch. Freddie could tell the moment that they’d both forgot the camera was there, just reverting to the way they always were with each other. Comfortable. Familiar. In love. They watched Freddie beat Auston at thumb wars, followed by the scuffle before he did the same in rock paper scissors.

“I still say you cheated,” Auston says with a snort as Freddie wins another round. When Freddie turns to look at him, Auston leans in to press a kiss to his mouth. “But that’s okay, I forgive you.”

“You’re a brat,” Freddie laughs. Once they’ve focused their attention back on the screen, Freddie shivers at how Auston’s hand rests on his thigh. It doesn’t take them long to finish editing his video and sync it back to his phone so he can upload it onto his social media.

“It’s too long,” Freddie whines once he’s got a finished product. It’s nearly 5 minutes long and while Freddie could have made it ten times that length, he knows that Tik Tok videos are short.

“So, you load it to IGTV and Facebook and YouTube and show everyone what a fucking amazing boyfriend you are and how fucking lucky I am to have you!” Auston says with force. “And then I’m going to do the same fucking thing and make everyone out there in the world jealous because I’ve landed the hottest boyfriend in the HISTORY of the world and challenge them to be this romantic for their partners.”

Just as Freddie is about to upload the video, Auston stops him. 

“Wait, picture,” he says as he leans in to kiss Freddie, taking a picture of them kissing and then another when they’ve pulled away and are staring at each other, nose to nose with sappy grins on their faces.

Freddie’s phone chimes with a notification that @austonmatthews has tagged him in a post on Instagram. The caption reads #boyfriendgoals #inlove #hesmine

There is no way that Auston won’t be able to see the blush on his face, to the tops of his cheeks down his throat. He posts his “Kiss My Best Friend Challenge” video and holds his breath for a few moments afterwards.

Auston is concentrating on his phone, fingers flying over keys and Freddie’s phone starts to chime with notifications. At the top of the notifications is Auston’s text to the group chat.

_From Auston: New challenge bitches. Look how romantic my boyfriend is. Look at the video he made for ME… Romantic Challenge is on. See if you can top this!!_

Freddie has put his laptop away and Auston is cleaning up the living room for them to head to the bedroom. About ten minutes has passed since Auston posted to the group chat before the texts start coming in.

_From Segs: God damn it Fred. You don’t even LIKE TIK TOK. Now you’re trying to make us all look bad!_

_From Willy: Childs play. I’m way more romantic that that!_

_From Mitchy: Get in Freddie!! TOLD YOU TO NUT UP AND GET YOUR MAN!!_

_From Willy: Kyle says congratulations._

_From Willy: He also says I’m more romantic than Freddie so suck it._

_From Morgan: That’s not what Kyle just texted me, Willy. He said you’re an insufferable child who can’t let someone have their own moment._

_From Davo: Fuck you Freddie! You had to steal my thunder didn’t you. Now I have to up my game so I don’t look lame._

_From Stromer: Ooooh, Davo… who are you romancing up in fucking Edmonton?_

_From Mitch: Don’t be an asshole babe. I’m sure there are other guys up there that are worthy of our Davo._

_From Stromer: Yeah, a Yeti maybe._

_From Leon: Connor, is it me? It better be me or I’m going to have to rethink the dinner I’m making for you Tuesday._

_From Davo: Wait what? Really Leon?_

_From Leon: Yeah. I’m kind of in love with you. What do you think these Tuesday night dates have been? Just bros?_

_From Davo: …really?_

_From Leon: I baked you a German chocolate cake last week. AND made pasta from scratch. What the fuck Connor?_

_From Mitchy: Get in Leon!!!_

_From Davo: I’m in love with you too Leon. Shit. Come over please. Now._

_From Bennie: Fuck all of you. I was balls deep in Seggy until the phone blew up and now he’s distracted by you assholes._

Freddie shuts off his phone, laughing as he and Auston crawl into his bed. He watches over Auston’s shoulder as he fires off one last text:

_To My Bros: You’re welcome Davo and Leon. Not sorry Benny. The rest of you, I’m about to have Freddie balls deep in my ass so I’m out!_

Freddie raises an eyebrow as Auston tosses his phone onto the chair next to the bed and pulls his boxers off. He’s absolutely naked, glorious as he lays himself out on Freddie’s sheets.

“I’ve waited too fucking long for this Freddie, get the lube, get a condom and get the fuck inside of me.”

“And there’s the romantic Auston Matthews I’ve heard so much about,” Freddie teases. He leans over and presses his mouth against Auston’s sinking against the younger man and slotting their bodies together.

“Oh, I’m going to romance the fuck out of you Frederik Andersen. You won’t even know what hit you. Right now? Right now, you need to fuck me.” He runs his hand up Freddie’s thigh to where his cock is chubbing up at a rapid pace. “Oh yeah,” he moans hungrily. He pushes Freddie so that he’s able to flip himself over and present his ass in the air for Freddie to take.

Freddie shucks his tee shirt and his own boxers in record time. There has never been a point in their friendship that he’s been able to deny Auston anything, there is no way he’s changing that now.

FINIS

**Author's Note:**

> Ahhhh, so many different videos and clips inspired this fic. I'ma try and list as many as I can.
> 
> I don't know how many times I've watched this, but Willy's actual Vid for Toosie slide.  
> [Willy's Thirst Trap Toosie Slide](https://www.instagram.com/p/B--r8eADGS6/)
> 
> I remember when this actually happened and it was on the news repeatedly that Halloween. And I don't know how many times I've replayed Auston's scream! This makes my LIFE!  
> [Maple Leafs Scare](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZzdmT6PuoM)
> 
> Epic staring contest between Freddie and Auston.  
> [Staring Contest](https://www.instagram.com/p/BeBNneIhVDK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again)


End file.
